For Patients

Dear Prospective Patient,

My ideal patient is a person or family struggling to deal with symptoms or behavior patterns that truly undermine the quality of life. In my years of experience I have worked with young people and families struggling with launching into adulthood, with people who have suffered trauma, with dissociation, addictions and eating disorders. I have also had extensive experience with people who are depressed and anxious and who feel hampered by personality traits or patterns that interfere with living.

Some of my most gratifying experiences have been helping families and individuals navigate the healthcare system or obtain a second opinion so as to find the best pathway to health from initial recognition of a problem to recovery and maintenance. My special interest is in how people change and how therapy works. I am not tied to a single orientation, but use a variety of techniques and approaches depending on my patient’s needs. I focus primarily on psychotherapy and case consultation, but do prescribe medication where needed. I prefer to provide the full range of treatment, rather than splitting treatment with outside therapist.

My fees are above average and, due to inadequate reimbursement and unreasonable interference, I do not accept insurance or medicare. I will, however, gladly provide you with needed statements for out of network benefits.

Initial Phone Call: If you decide to schedule an appointment or have questions, please call (914) 725-3901. Services:

Initial Consultation: All new patients are seen for a 50 minute initial evaluation session. During this time, we will review the situation and develop a plan for what to do next. All plans are individualized to help you with agreed upon goals.

Extended Consultation: Even if you are not sure what to do next, it is often helpful to have consultation or seek a second opinion to review your issues and treatment plan. If you already have a therapist, I have sometimes served as a “mentor” to a therapy, maintaining an ongoing relationship the patient and therapist to help make sure the process goes as intended. Therapy sessions are 50 minutes.

Ongoing Therapy: Meeting on a regular basis with individuals or couples to help resolve emotional problems and/or dysfunctional patterns. Expect 50 Minute sessions at an individualized frequency and time. Your insurance may reimburse for some or all of the cost of therapy sessions.

Medication Management: Meeting at least monthly, or more if needed, to help you with needed medication treatment. Sessions can be reduced length, approximately 1/2 hour.

Hours: Daytime hours are easiest to schedule, but I am in the office three evenings a week.

Location: The office address is 260 Garth Road, Apartment 2J4, Scarsdale, NY 10583. For those who know Scarsdale, it is the Southernmost apartment building on Garth Road on the East side of the street. My office is on the Lobby Floor, to the left as I buzz you in. Please come right in to the office waiting room. The office door is open. If I don’t come out of my office to meet you within 5 minutes of your appointment, please knock on the office door or call my cell phone to clear up any confusion.

Directions: Take the Bronx River Parkway South from White Plains or North from Bronxville to Exit 10, “Harney Road.” Turn East onto Harney and IMMEDIATELY North onto Garth Road. My building, 260, Garth, will be the first apartment building on your right.

Emergencies: I am available by cellphone 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergencies. Please respect this by leaving non-emergency communications on my regular (confidential) office answering machine at (914) 725-3901. The emergency number is (914) 462-0539. Please understand that cellular technology is fallible, and I may not be able to respond immediately, or may even be out of range. In that case, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. During vacations I will arrange for another doctor to cover for urgent matters. That number will be on my answering machine.

Insurance: I am an “out of network provider” for private insurance. Patients pay me directly and receive a statement at the end of each month with all the information insurance companies need for claims. I am “Opted Out” from Medicare, meaning that they will not reimburse for my services, but will allow you to contract with me directly. I do not accept Medicaid.

Payment: Payment is usually by personal check. I can accept credit cards but require an additional $10 for full sessions and $7 for brief sessions to cover processing fees. Please bring payment with you for the initial session.

Cancellations: My schedule is as flexible as possible, and cancellations with 24 hours notice are always acceptable. If an emergency requires shorter notice, then please call or text my cell phone to let me know, especially if it is early in the day. You are generally responsible for time you have scheduled if cancellation is on short notice.

Jeffery Smith MD

“When I finished psychiatry residency, no one really understood how therapy works or how people change. Seeking clear answers is my personal passion and sharing them, my mission.” Read More...

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